The Dark Knight...sequel to Batman Begins

JINTEIthe76thKAISER

A few months ago there have been speculations on who would play the Joker in the Batman Begins sequel, ranging from Crispin Glover, Paul Bettany, and Mark Hamill(who played Luke Skywalker in Star Wars 4-6 and the Joker's voice in the animated series ) himself.

Well, just recently it was confirmed that Heath Ledger(2006 oscar nominee for best actor in Brokeback Mountain) will play the part of the Joker in the supposedly 2008 release of The Dark Knight. Christian Bale still plays the role of the Batman in the sequel. But I'm worried about Ledger, though. It is expected that there will be a lot of "Brokebat" jokes.

There have also been rumors that there will be other adversaries in the upcoming sequel, like Penguin. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is the only candidate for now(as they said). Media said that he is reluctant about it, though.

...I still can't help but feel uneasy that Ledger will do Joker. Well, there have been other opinions about the "Perfect Joker" circling around the net, so I can't do anything about it. Check rottentomatoes.com for yourselves.

What do you guys think?

Squidman · Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 6:05 am Post subject:

The first Batman movie was massively toned down from the comic books. The character Ra's Al Ghul is supposed to be an Arab man who has made himself more or less immortal by using what he calls "Lazarus pits" which are pools of magic sand that can bring people back from the dead. He also has a daughter who was knocked up by Bruce Wayne in the comic "Son of the Demon" back in '87.

In the movie they completely scrapped the magical sand thing and made the character more based in reality. They got rid of the whole dynamic Wayne has with Talya Al Ghul (which doesn't matter all that much, she's kind of obscure anyway), and they turned Ra's from a Middle-Eastern terrorist into a ^_^ WAPANESE ^_^ WHITE ^_^ NINJA! ^_^

It was a good movie, but it wasn't a great Batman movie (better than the last few at least). By starting out with a relatively grounded character for the villain and stripping him of his only real "superpower" they've set the stage for less fantastic, more realistic villains. I accepted long ago that for the sequel to stay true to Begins they were most likely going to scrap the idea of a gaunt, aqueline, raving-lunatic comicbook Joker or a quirky, dark-humourous, Burton-Nicholson Joker. I trust the the director chose Ledger for a good reason, because he has to know that a LOT of people are going to be dissappointed by the choice. It'll likely be the same story as the first movie; he'll be a good Joker, but it just won't be the same Joker we all know and love.

Who played Scarecrow? Cilian Murphy or something like that? He's faaaar prettier than the gangly, awkward comicbook Scarecrow but he did a pretty good job with it. I'm just going to accept that Joker won't be the pasty emaciated old guy I want him to be and try to enjoy the movie.

... And don't worry about too much about them gaying up Batman... It's BATMAN after all. Plus Heath Ledger's not the only one... Christian Bale's had his share of... heterosexually challenged characters... *coughvelvetgoldminecough*
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KeheiZero · Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 12:51 pm Post subject:

I wasn't really impressed with the Scarecrow from Batman Begins. Seemed more like a minor nuisance than a decent character.

fallenangel · Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 5:59 pm Post subject:

Heh. Christian Bale will always be fruity little Arthur. Which was way gayer than faggy cowboys. Glitter boy can't be batman, I refuse.

I don't even like superhero movies, but Michael Keaton was kinda hot.
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Squidman · Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 9:26 pm Post subject:

[quote]I wasn't really impressed with the Scarecrow from Batman Begins. Seemed more like a minor nuisance than a decent character.[/quote]

Thast's pretty much how I see comic book Scarecrow...

Forgive me if I'm wrong, though. I pretty much only actively pay attention to DC comics for Joker and Lobo.
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Red_Quatre · Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 12:06 pm Post subject:

[quote]
I don't even like superhero movies, but Michael Keaton was kinda hot.[/quote]

I think he was the best Batman. Smile

Batman Returns is my favorite Batman movie. I didn't care too much for Batman Begins. I found it kinda boring. But that Cilian What's-his-face who played the Scare crow had pretty eyes.
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Squidman · Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 12:55 pm Post subject:

Michael Keaton was a good Batman, but he wasn't a good Bruce Wayne... He lacked the stature for it. He's an excellent character actor, but he's too much of a nice guy to pull off the angry-rich-playboy-with-a-horrible-secret. He can be anything from a doting father to an eccentric grungy ghost-man, but I don't like him as Bruce Wayne.

Christian Bale was a spectacular Bruce Wayne. Not only does he look the part more than any other actor who's ever taken it, the role is practically American Psycho all over again. Exept minus the serial killing...
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EMR · Member Joined: 05 Aug 2006 Posts: 107

Keaton was a good Batman, but not a good Bruce Wayne. Kilmer was the opposite. As for Clooney...well...I try not to think about that movie. I think Christian Bale is the best at both.
As for Heath Ledger as the Joker, he wasn't my first choice. Joaquin Pheonix could do way better. He definiteley knows how to play a twisted psychopath; just look at "Gladiator". Anyways, I'm not worried, becuse Christopher Nolan knows his stuff.

Red_Quatre · Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2006 7:20 am Post subject:

I don't like Christian Bale. I think he's funny looking.
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EMR · Member Joined: 05 Aug 2006 Posts: 107

More funny looking than Michael Keaton?

Red_Quatre · Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2006 3:38 pm Post subject:

Yes, Christian Bale is funnier looking than Michael Keaton.

Michael Keaton is Batman in my eyes. nobody else can be Batman. Or Beatlejuice.
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EMR · Member Joined: 05 Aug 2006 Posts: 107

I agree with you on Beatlejuice, that's a great movie. I just don't like to see Bruce Wayne with hair plugs.

fallenangel · Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 8:05 pm Post subject:

Christian Bale gives me the creeps ever since Velvet Goldmine, and yes he's funnier looking than Michael.

Cillian is always purty. See him in Breakfast On Pluto, talk about pretty...
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Squidman · Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 8:25 pm Post subject:

I don't like to get into movie VS comic pissing matches with people because there's no way a movie can adhere to 60-whatever years of continuity and please all the fans. Plus comics usually have a lot of their own issues to sort out over what their heroes look liek unmasked.

In the case of a charcter like Bruce Wayne, there are certain identifiable thraits that have stuck with the character over time.

[img]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y202/Squids/bats.jpg[/img]

Since the dawn of Batman, Bruce Wayne has been a slick, intense man with thick, straight, dark hair. Bruce Wayne is a player, he's James Bond with a pissy attitude and some unforunate scars. This isn't just how a casual reader of Batman comics every now and then sees Bruce Wayne, this is how more than half a century of comic folk have portrayed him.

Of the four people who have played Batman, I think Bale and Kilmer were the only two who really pulled of the unmasked side of the character. Keaton's a great actor, but he's just not a dangerous-sexy young billionaire playboy to me.

That said, I often say that Bale looks like Jim Carrey if he took himself seriously. Even if he looks funny, he proved his worthiness for a role like this with American Psycho.

He was the Goddamn Bateman, after all.
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fallenangel · Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 8:53 pm Post subject:

He's still the dork who wanked over Jonathan Rhys Meyers and was boned by Ewan McGregor on a roof to me. Razz

[img]http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com/rage/images/0309/cbale2.jpg[/img]

Yay google. Smile

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Squidman · Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 9:03 pm Post subject:

Maha... yeah, I saw that pic too. Very Happy

No one can complain that they're gaying up Batman. It is BATMAN, after all.
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